Posts Tagged ‘kejriwal’
The real failure of Kejriwal
AAP rejoiced in the Supreme Court victory this week. But is it anything to cheer? I don’t think so. Agreed that BJP has not let AAP function in Delhi but what else did they expect? That BJP will lay roses? It is politics and a cut throat one at that. What BJP did was as expected.
The real failure of Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party has not been the governance in Delhi; it has been that they haven’t grown beyond Delhi in last three years. They tried in Punjab and Goa but went nowhere. They tried to punch much above their weight and hence the failure. In hindsight, they know what they should have done. There is still time to do things right. Instead of targeting state elections, which require vast sums of money and a large number of party workers, and AAP fell short on both front in Punjab and Goa.
They know the should have targeted municipal elections in metro cities where they had a good following. They forte is door-to-door campaigning, and the small electorate would have helped with that. There is still time. Target one city at a time. Build your base, build your political capital. Keep fighting in Delhi, but time is running out for you. You have to grow beyond the city.
Put your head together, start fighting municipal elections. Prove yourself with excellent results. Metros are where rich people live, and they will contribute money if you give them good infrastructure and living conditions. I am not sure what your game plan is. It looks like you will go big in 2019 general elections. I would advise against that.
Time to realize that BJP has not been your biggest enemy, your vision has been. The real failure of Kejriwal lies in not being able to show the right direction to the party and hence not able to grow beyond Delhi.
Modi and Kejriwal: A fresh perspective
Given that Kejriwal’s image has taken a beating over last few months, not many people would like to take his name in the same vein as Modi’s. This is a far cry from couple of years back. Kejriwal’s supporters have struggled to understand why he is hounded if AAP cozies up with SP and RJD, while Modi is given a free pass when he closes up with same SP and RJD.
Here is where a fresh perspective is required. Modi was chosen to govern by people fed up of policy paralysis. Nothing was moving and Modi promised governance. He never was a messiah of propriety. Unlike Kejriwal who fought on probity and anti-corruption. It was always about governance for one and corruption for the other.
Governance can’t be judged short term and is hard to quantify. Corruption on the other hand is nakedly visible. Hence Kejriwal’s infractions are amplified compared to Modi’s. Modi is not judged if he hugs Lalu or attends marriage at Mulayam’s. But if Kejriwal does the same he is rightly hounded. Similarly, Kejriwal would be given a free pass on governance if only if it were that simple to measure.
Five years of Modi will be up soon and people will start judging governance. Kejriwal can hope for a redemption if Modi slips on that front.
20 MLA’s disqualified: Immaturity doomed Kejriwal
I remember 2014 when Kejriwal broke news that Amit Shah was trying to poach AAP MLA’s in order to install BJP Govt in Delhi. There was huge outcry not just in Delhi but country at large. Kejriwal commanded huge level of trust. He was the first one to stop the Modi wave. 2015 Delhi election was the time when Kejriwal rivalled Modi in trustworthiness. How times have changed.
I kind of feel for Kejriwal because I understand the reasons behind. It stems from immaturity. I have personally lost a lot due to it. With age people expects a level of maturity from you. They give you some rope when you are young but it only goes so far. Post Anna movement, a daring Kejriwal was people’s favorite. He was the son every mother wanted.
With 67 MLA’s, he had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, but he continued to delegate it to common man. Attacks after attacks on Modi were done to instigate people. It worked for some time but people were fed up after. His continued attacks were seemed as his immaturity. If Delhi CM had not powers, why did you want to get elected?
A mature person is expected to get things done. If only he would have been responsible. Being ambitious is not a crime. Wanting to come to power in Punjab was a reasonable target but the way AAP went about it was immature. In a diverse nation such as India, you have to earn the trust. And it takes time. Daily name calling did not help.
From being the chosen one, he has been relegated to a wasted potential and dreams unfulfilled. I still don’t think his intentions were wrong but what I feel does not matter. It’s the perception of immaturity that matters. It has wasted a lot of opportunities for me. I just hope AAP and Kejriwal wins back the trust. Believe me the path is not easy.
Kejriwal should listen to the Poet
I felt real bad to see Kumar Vishwas at the verge of crying in front of the media. I have been a fan since my college days, when his “Koi Deewana Kehta Hai” motivated me to become a poet. Kumar, like any other other Hindi Poet and stand up comedian, is attached to the grass root. They have to as that very grass root gives them the material. He has a cult following among college students and his romantic recitations have created quite a few romeos over the years.
Like a lot many of you, I supported AAP when they came up as an anti-corruption alternative. I supported Modi, when he gave us optimism. I even supported Rahul Gandhi when he pushed through the Nuclear Deal way back in 2009. I am mentioning this to clear my no-so-clear political leaning. When Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were expelled from AAP, it didn’t concern me much. They didn’t have a volunteer connect anyways; were more of boardroom politicians.
But Kumar Vishwaas is a different story altogether. He is one of the rarest breed of people who find acceptance and respect cutting across party lines. Reason being, he has still not become a wily politician. He speaks what is right, not what is right for his party. He stood his ground on Surgical Strikes, Demonetization and praise for PM Modi when due.
I would not say that Kejriwal committed a sin, or has become a corrupt leader, no he has not. A young politician, he is still trying to find his feet. He was correct in assessing that unless they win a state other than Delhi, they would not be able to show results. Had AAP won Punjab, things would have been different. But I am happy that they lost. In a bid to win, Kejriwal compromised on means this is what has hurt his image. Agreed that BJP was not letting him work, but his approach of bad mouthing a popular leader went against him. The loss in Punjab, has presented itself as an opportunity for him to course correct.
Kumar Vishwas is what is required at this point. From an anarchist (whom people supported), Kejriwal’s image became that of an opportunistic leader, who can play even with national security. And he himself is to blame. AAP needs a change and Kumar Vishwas can bring that. It won’t be a major change mind you; it would be going back to the roots of the movement. Hope the tears of Vishwas clean up the dirt that has sullied the once great movement.
How Kejriwal lost the plot
I wrote about it earlier how Kejriwal got the tide wrong. He fought against Modi head-on who was riding the wave of great public support. As Kejriwal fought with Modi, he kept losing support; hence his fate in 2017.
Last 2 years or so, he has continued his tirade. As I mentioned earlier, people get tired of prolonged drama. Even if BJP was not letting him work in Delhi, continuous cries don’t work. People get fed up. Either find a way or quit. He has all the right to badmouth Modi, but given the support that Modi commands today, it’s a self-goal. AAP came out as an immature party, with no dent to Modi popularity.
He could have made a mark in Punjab, but got the calculations wrong. You don’t berate a popular leader, without repercussions. He should have fought against Badals and Congress, whom public dislikes and should have left Modi alone. Demonetization was another thing he miscalculated. He was the most vocal against the move and look where it got him. He should have highlighted the fumbled implementation rather than the intent of Modi. Voters like strong and decisive leaders, not cry-babies. Have you ever seen Modi cry about lack of Rajya Sabha support? He let people around him do that but he himself gives a vibe of not caring and finding a work around.
Hope Kejriwal and AAP learn their lesson. Modi is ‘once in a generation’ leader and nothing good with come out by fighting him directly. People supported you when you took on Jaitely and that’s the way to go. To outsmart Modi, you have to hurt his cronies. People love Modi but not so much people around him.
It’s still early days for Arvind and his party and hope they come stronger out of this. Congress has ceded the space of principal opposition party and for a healthy democracy we need a strong opposition leader. If you continue acting immature, people will find some other strong leader. Long live democracy!
Kejriwal and Modi: Drama Queens or Geniuses?
Recently Kejriwal claimed that BJP and Modi are conspiring to eliminate him. Felt déjà vu to me. A lot of leaders when in opposition have claimed the same against the Govt of the day. One of the most prominent politicians to do it was Narendra Modi. Now I see Kejriwal doing the same. People called Modi Drama Queen then; people call Kejriwal Drama Queen now. What is the truth?
I don’t agree they are Drama Queens, I believe they are sheer Genius. One of the best ways to gain public support and energize your supporters is to play the victim card. “I am working for you so they are trying to kill me”. The motive is to make other side look dirty. Believe me it works; Modi as PM and Kejriwal as CM are shining example of the same.
Feb 20 2014: Congress keeps looking for chances to kill me: Modi
Jul 27 2016: Arvind Kejriwal says PM Narendra Modi may try to get him killed
I remember Mayawati, Mulayam Singh, Jayalalita, Mamta Banerjee and most of the regional leaders have made this claim some time or the other. Below are few references to the same. You can find a lot more on web.
19 June 2013: Mamata Banerjee alleges CPM-Maoist plot to kill her
Aug 7 2004: SP conspiring to kill me: Mayawati
Jan 10 2008: Mayawati plots to kill Mulayam, alleges Amar Singh
Oct 31 2008: Jayalalitha claims ‘murderous attack’
Degree Row: Kejriwal and Modi’s cat and mouse game
Time to set the facts straight on the Modi degree row. Kejriwal raked up the issue as BJP forced his minister Tomar to resign on a similar issue earlier. Fuss was made by BJP on Sonia Gandhi degree issue too. Tables turned with Smriti and Modi degree fiasco. I have seen too much rubbish being written on social media and heard a lot of trash on News channels related to this. BJP and AAP have been at each other throats for few months.
My take on this is, Kejriwal is wrong and BJP is wronger. Let me tell you why. When Jaitley and Shah held out some piece of paper claiming it to be Modi’s degree, it seemed Modi was absolved and Kejriwal was shamed. Alas! This was not to be. What even conventional media failed to highlight is the fact that this degree has not been provided till now in reply to official RTI query. And nobody is pointing out this simple fact.
I have made it very clear in my earlier posts that Modi having degree or not, do not matter to me, he seems to be doing good. Same was my stand with Tomar, Sonia, Smriti. But since BJP, Congress and AAP has decided to slug it out, I feel the facts must come out.
I am not saying Modi don’t have a degree. He might very well have. The point is, why has it not been provided to the RTI query. I’ll tell you why. Coz it will make it official. The DU registrar has to certify it and in case of any wrongdoing, he will be liable for prosecution. Hence I say BJP is obfuscating things. When they flashed degree in press conference, it is not official and hence not liable for any prosecution.
That flashy news conference was just a political stunt, nothing else. BJP shouldn’t have started it with Tomar. Now that they have, they have to bear it when the sides are turned.
Why DU is hesitant on replying to RTI query begs a question. I could have blamed Kejriwal for this petty politics, but BJP and Congress have been pettier when it came to Tomar, Smriti and Sonia. So I am left to just point out the facts.
Jaitely and Shah: Not the best person to defend Modi
Modi degree issue not seems to be ending anytime soon. With Kejriwal attaching the issue with Agusta, BJP has gone all out to defend Modi. In a press conference, Shah and Jaitely came out with what they called the real BA/MA degrees of Modi.
As per my earlier position, it doesn’t matter to me whether Modi has/does not have degree. But this press conference from Shah and Jaitley was not a well thought one. No two worse people could have come out in defense of PM Modi. Come’on, you couldn’t get any better people than pretentious Jaitely and Power Broker Shah?
I understand after yesterdays rally by AAP alleging match fixing between BJP and Congress for Degree-Agusta issue, there was a need for BJP to defend itself. But these were not the right people to do it. Both of them are not liked even by Modi supporters. Jaitley and Shah are looked upon as all that is wrong with the Govt and the Party. Fronting these two people? What more I can say.
It is just like what Congress used to do. Remember the times when Kapil Sibbal used to hold such press conferences. He used to defend UPA in 2G/CWG/Coal and what not. The only credibility he had was when he stood in front of the mirror. For public at large he was arrogant Lutyens Delhi power elite. His defense hurt Congress more than it helped. BJP is doing the same. Jaitley and Shah are not the right people to have come out in Modi’s defense.
Modi should know better. For me I don’t need any justification from Modi. And certainly not from people like Jaitley and Shah!
Modi Degree issue and underlying hypocrisy
Let me make my position clear on the Degree issue of PM Modi before going into the critique of the situation. I don’t think degree holds any weightage for becoming a PM/CM or any elected official. Unless public education becomes free, State can’t put any weightage on formal education at least for election purposes. Informal education which comes from hardships of life does not make anyone less human. First the society makes education out of the reach of poor people and then wants to put bar on people for the lack of it. This can’t work. Although no one is barred in India but I have seen a trend brewing.
For me if Modi has or doesn’t have a degree, it doesn’t make him any less qualified to lead our nation.
Getting that out of the way let me come to the current issue. This is not primarily about PM’s qualification but about the disclosures made in election affidavits. Here comes the hypocrisy part. For me anyone is free to enquire about PM’s degree disclosed in the affidavit and has every right to file an RTI demanding the same. But I see a lot of people taking exception to it. “How dare someone ask for Modi’s degree?” is the sentiment. I feel it is utterly wrong.
When Sonia’s qualifications are questioned, When Smriti’s qualifications are questioned, When Tomar’s qualifications are questioned, When Lalu Yadav’s son’s qualifications are questioned, one should keep some parity. We react as per our liking of the leader in question. Sonia degree issue crops up and BJP slams her to be a liar. Tomar’s degree issue and he spent few nights in jail and had to resign as a Minister. But when Smriti Irani and Modi are questioned, it is sacrilege.
Same I will say about Congress and other opposition parties. When their leaders are questioned its witch hunting but when you question the other side, it’s your right?
I feel enquiring Modi’s degree via RTI is okay. Anyone has the right. No one should cry foul. If you do then you have to address all the past positions taken by you. And if you don’t address them, it will expose your hypocrisy. Fun part is I haven’t seen Modi himself complaining, just the new breed of sycophants shouting their lungs out.
In Gandhi’s India, Why the fuss about Kejriwal’s attire?
So, I read that a person has sent 364 bucks to Mr. Kejriwal to buy a pair of shoes. A lot of similar minded individuals have opined the same. “He should have known to wear better. After all he was attending an official function.”
I am sure there will be debates all through the week on this topic. It will involve a lot of name calling and what not. Today I don’t want to touch the politics of it. I just want to touch the stupidity of all this.
Couple of years back Congress, who put Anna behind bars for his fast-unto-death, totally forgot that it was such fast-unto-deaths by Gandhi which were instrumental in the freedom movement. Now it is such people who totally forgot that simplicity is what Gandhi taught us.
I wonder what such people would have said to Gandhi when he went to round table conferences in Britain wearing almost nothing.
Maybe Kejriwal is doing all this for publicity. But he is doing what Gandhi taught us and is the foundation of our great nation. People, who can’t digest this, are well within their right to digress. But they should not be celebrated. They should be ignored.
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